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Winter arrived early and was cold here in the UK, so I was incredibly grateful to be offered a chance to test out the SuperStrand LT Insulated Hoodie at the beginning of December. I've been using this jacket as my primary insulation for over three months now, not just in the hills but in my day-to-day life as well, and I'm a big fan of this lightweight synthetic jacket from American brand  Outdoor Research.

Most of the year, I use a fleece as my insulating layer, but come Winter, I tend to switch to a synthetic layer. Down is a fantastic insulator, but it loses its heat-retaining properties if it gets wet, so due to the unpredictable nature of the UK weather, I prefer synthetic insulation. That being said, the OR SuperStrand LT is the closest mimic of down I have come across. Down has a brilliant quality; as soon as you put it on, you instantly feel the benefit, and this jacket has the same effect; it provides immediate warmth as soon as you put it on. A very impressive level of warmth for its weight (314g based on a medium means); OR claims that the synthetic insulation is similar in loftiness to 700- to 800-fill power down, which I think they have spot on.

During December and January, when we had some truly cold weather, I exclusively used an outer shell, a waterproof or a wind jacket over the SuperStrand; it is the perfect jacket to incorporate into a winter layering system because of it’s incredibly low bulk; it fits well under any outer shell, without feeling constrictive or adding volume, making you feel streamlined; perfect for those of us who still like to move fast and light even in the darker months.

On dry days, with only a wind shell, I was perfectly comfortable in minus conditions doing some hill walking; however, in slightly warmer weather, I was very content with just the  SuperStrand Hoodie and a good base layer. If using this jacket in warmer months, it feels fantastically soft and comfortable next to the skin, something I would not usually attest to an insulation piece.

The Outer polyester shell does a fantastic job of blocking wind and therefore cutting out wind chill, massively increasing the warmth and versatility of the jacket. It’s lightweight, packable design means it is going to be getting year-round use; it mimics down in its ability to compress, not just in its ability to trap heat, so when not in use it folds neatly into its own pocket, which in a pinch, can make a good back up pillow. Only in the height of summer would I consider leaving the SuperStrand at home.

The SuperStrand is minimalistic in its feature set - two zipped hand-warming pockets are your only storage options;. However, 2 large internal pockets can be used to store a map or such, but I would not trust them to store anything valuable. The insulated hood has no adjustment features, and neither does the hem of the jacket, which would have been nice to see. The elasticated cuffs ensure a good fit that can easily incorporate moderately insulated gloves.

I’ll admit I'm relatively new to Outdoor Research, so I cannot comment on how their clothes usually fit, but for context, I'm 6 foot, have a relatively slim build, and usually wear a size medium. The medium SuperStrand fits me perfectly; it’s not “boxy”, but it’s also not a technical fit, the jacket had a good amount of room and stretch for fast-paced activities but a comfortable and cosy feel for when you are just lounging around camp. This lightweight, minimalistic insulating layer will see much more use this year. 

Andy Neil
Andy has been a keen long-distance hiker and wild camping enthusiast since he completed the Cleveland Way in 2015. Since then, he has walked thousands of trail miles all over the UK and is an active member of the Wild Camping UK community, being an admin of the largest wild camping community on Facebook. He strongly advocates for responsible wild camping and believes it is important to leave no trace when camping in the wilderness. He joined the UOG team in 2021 and works as a website developer and content creator. Read more from Andy Neil